Automatic spark-timing mechanism for internal-combustion engines.



T. TOWNSON.

AUTOMATIC SPARK TIMING MECHANISM FOR INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 1, 1911.

1,025,336. Patented May 7, 1912.

THGMAS TOWNSON, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

AUTOMATIC EPARK-TI1VLING MECHANISM FOR INTEENAL-UOMBUSTIGN ENGINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

intent-milling "2, H512.

Application filed June 1, 1911. Serial No. 630.833.

7h all "uilom it may! concern.

lie it known that I. Trioirns Towxson', a citizen of the Uni d States, residing at liladclphia, in the :ounty of 'lliiladelpnia rania, have invented atul linim'ovoments in ,iutomatic Spark-"lining lil echanism for lutc iizil-tftmii istion Engines, of which the follow ng; a specification.

Ely invention relates to improvements in automatic spark timing mechanism for internal comhnstion engines, the object of the intention li ing to provide an improved governor connected with the spark timer, where-hr the speed of the engine automatically advances or retards the spark in the 1'es' )c ,*ti\'o cylinders.

l-lcretofore, it has been customary with motor propelled vehicles to provide on the steeringwheel, a lever for regulating the gas, and a lever for advancing and retarding the spark, leaving it therefore to the judgment of the operator to regulate the spark properly in accordance with the feed of gas. To dispense altogether with this lever for regulating the spark, and rendering such regulation automatic, is the primary object of'iny invention, and it consists of certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts, as will he more fully hereinafter described and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1, a diagrammatic plan view illustrating my iin 'n'mcni s, and Fig. 2, is a view in section on the line 2- 2 of Fig. 1. Q

1, represents the aft time shaft of an internal combustion engine n'iounted in a suitable support 3, and operating the spark timing; mechanism 'l'his spark timer may be of various different forms a ad I have illustrated a simple structure which is adapted to answer the purposes of my invention, and the spark timer that I have illustrated is provided with four binding, posts l which are connected by wires 5 with. the respective engine cylinders, and the inner ends of said binding posts are connected with contact. blocks 6, all of which are mounted in a rotary sleeve 7 in a fixed casing 8.

On the time shaft 1, a rotary springprcssed contact lever 9 is mounted, and as the time shaft revolves, this contact 9 is moved into and out of contact With the several contacts 6, so as to momentarily close the circuits with the respective cylinders to lire the charge in the latter. ll bracket 10 is secured to support 2, and provides a bean mg for a shaft 1]. This shaft ll connected by beveled gears 12 and 13 with time shaft- 1, so that shaft 11 is driven at the same speed as the time shaft. On shaft 11, a speed governor is located. and comprises weighted arms 12% pii'otnlly connected to the shaft 11, and connected h v links M with a sliding sleeve 'lhis sleeve 15 is provided with a grooved enlargement 16 into which the bifurcated end 17 of a rod 18 projects. Rod 18 is mounted to slide in the bracket 10, and is connected at one end to a pin 19 fixed to the rotary sleeve 7. On this rod 18, a coiled spring 20 is located, and its tension is adjusted by means of nuts 2 screwed onto the threaded portion of said rod. By means of this si' ring, a nice adjustment may be had to resist the longitudinal movement of sleeve 15, as the weighted arms l3 tend to draw the sleeve longitw dinally of the shaft in accordance with the speed of said shaft. As the speed of time shaft 1 increases, the governor will move sleeve 15 longitudinally of the shaft, and through the medium of rod 18, will turn sleeve 7 so as to advance the spark as is readily understood. In other words, the speed of shaft 1, through the medium of the governor, automatically advances or retards the spark in the several cylinders.

Various slight changes might be made in the general form and arrangements of parts described without departing from my invention, and hence I do not limit myself to the precise details set forth, but consider myself at liberty to make such changes and alterations as fairly fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: i

1. The combination'with a support, an engine time shaft, a spark timing mechanism thereon, a sleeve in said mechanism, electric cont-acts in said sleeve, said time shaft mounted in the support, a rotary element on the time shaft adapted to engage respectively the several contacts, a bracket on said support, a. shaft mounted in said bracket and located atright angles to the time shaft, and gears connecting said time shaft and said last-mentioned shaft, of a sleeve mounted on the last-mentioned shaft,

weighted arms pivotally connected to said lastmentioned shaft, links connecting said arms and sleeve, :1 rod mounted in said bracket, said sleeve having a groove therein, a forked end on said rod engaging said groove, and a pin on the first-mentioned sleeve connected to said rod, substantially as described.

2. The combination With a support, a spark timing mechanism, a sleeve in'said mechanism, electric contacts in said sleeve, a time shaft mounted in the support, a rotary element on the time shaft adapted to engage respectively the several contacts, a bracket on said support, a shaft mounted in said bracket and located at right angles to the time shaft and gears connecting said time shaft and said last-mentioned shaft, of a sleeve mounted on the last-mentioned shaft, weighted arms pivotally connected to said last-mentioned shaft, links connecting said arms and sleeve, a rod mounted in said bracket, said sleeve having a groove therein, a forked end on said rodengaging said groove, a pin on the first-mentioned sleeve connected to said rod, said rod screw-threaded at its end Where it connects With-the pin, a spring around said rod and hearing at one end against the bracket, and a nut screwed on the rod and bearing against the other end of said spring, substantially as described.

In testimony Whereof'I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS TOWNSON.

lVitnesses CHARLES E. Form, B. H. KRENKEL. 

